The Koh Kood Experience

[Golden Triangle]

10 hours ago, amjamj said:

How long to cross from mainland to Koh Kood directly ? It seems far.

The high speed ferry takes about an hour or a little longer depending on the sea state, you can book with them on line.

[Golden Triangle]

 

 

I seem to be having problems posting photo's - I had to re size this down to 309 kb before I could post.

 

Anyway, this was the beach in February - As you can see, pretty deserted 

[amjamj]

10 hours ago, Golden Triangle said:

The high speed ferry takes about an hour or a little longer depending on the sea state, you can book with them on line.

 

 

Thank you, I think I found it :

 

https://www.facebook.com/KoKutExpress/

 

 

https://www.kokutexpress.in.th/how-to-get-to-laem-sok.html

 

 

 

[BigKahuna]

On 31/01/2016 at 6:15 AM, cooked said:

Great. The last thing this place needs is more tourists.

High prices

Nothing to do

Hard to get good food

Hard to get to

 

Sounds like paradise not

 

Rather go to Prachuap!

[elektrified]

On 4/6/2017 at 9:20 PM, Spaniel said:

From the city of Trat it is about a 20 min drive to Laem Sok where you catch the ferry to Ko Kut.      There they have a secure parking lot.     We stayed at the A Na Lay Resort which was nice and right on the water for B1000 a night.     Google them for details.      Go back to my post #36 to see some pics of the resort.

I stayed at the A Na Lay for a week about 3 years ago. It was during high season and about 2K per night. Sadly I just read that it has become a  place for organized Chinese tours and is very dirty, run down and in need of repair. Someone posted photos of the rooms with huge stains all over the mattresses, mold growing on the walls, dirty water backing up in the showers.....

[Bullie]

On 26-8-2016 at 6:10 AM, kenk24 said:

 

I would not at all think of it as Southern Thailand, as that brings images of South of Chumporn and Phuket etc... 

 

I also do not consider it Eastern as that seems to me to be Isaan...

 

I have always referred to places in that area as Eastern Gulf Shore...

 

Works for me anyway... 

Well, I live in Trat, and I always consider us to live in South-Eastern Thailand... Which to a mariner (which I am) makes perfect sense....

[1FinickyOne]

4 hours ago, Bullie said:

Well, I live in Trat, and I always consider us to live in South-Eastern Thailand... Which to a mariner (which I am) makes perfect sense....

Ahoy - - Yes, South Eastern makes perfect sense for Trat... 

[camble]

I arrived via Koh Chang this year.

 

Tourism is picking up but the island needs ferry service to get to the next level.

 

 

Things were quiet down at the barber shop

 

 

I stayed where I usually do at the Koh Kood Beach Resort, prices are higher this year.  Most of the guests are Russians.  At the next table while I was watching baseball at breakfast, they were fascinated with the game, eyes glued to every pitch.

 

There are now TWO bars with live music, located close to each other "Downtown" on "The Strip"

 

 

I relaxed with a few Long Island Iced Teas

 

 

You have to watch your step, there are some unsavory characters about

 

 

Klong Chao Falls is more accessible now that the road has been paved deeper into the forest. 

 

 

Ao Yai for lunch, opposite side of the island

 

[gaff]

Hello, what is the cheapest front beach bungalow that can be found at Koh kood ? thanks.

[camble]

1 hour ago, gaff said:

Hello, what is the cheapest front beach bungalow that can be found at Koh kood ? thanks.

That might be Siam Beach Resort

[Golden Triangle]

10 hours ago, gaff said:

Hello, what is the cheapest front beach bungalow that can be found at Koh kood ? thanks.

I - Lay  - House have some very basic beach front Bungalows I can't remember the prices but less than 2000 baht per night if I remember right, they have a Facebook page and a website.

[gaff]

hello, do you know if even the cheap resorts have 24h electricity and internet ? thanks.

[camble]

25 minutes ago, gaff said:

hello, do you know if even the cheap resorts have 24h electricity and internet ? thanks.

Like everywhere, not during the storm ⛈️

[camble]

If you're island hopping, you can take an inter island speed boat during high season that operates between Koh Chang, Koh Mak, and Koh Kood.  Leaving from the end of Bang Bao pier on Koh Chang, the journey takes 30 minutes to Koh Mak and another hour to Koh Kood.  Cost is 900 baht from Koh Chang to Koh Kood, operates until mid-May, and saves a lot of time without having to return to the mainland.

 

However, 30 people are jammed into the boat like sardines and you don't want to be last to board or you'll be stuck in the front without a canopy for protection to fry in the hot sun.  This is a disaster waiting to happen because there are no life preservers (except for the two visible on the exterior of the boat).  "Do you have life preservers?", a woman asked.  "Yes, we have life preservers", the boat operator replied, and then he laughed.

 

 

[kuma]

On 7/10/2018 at 3:20 PM, camble said:

If you're island hopping, you can take an inter island speed boat during high season that operates between Koh Chang, Koh Mak, and Koh Kood.  Leaving from the end of Bang Bao pier on Koh Chang, the journey takes 30 minutes to Koh Mak and another hour to Koh Kood.  Cost is 900 baht from Koh Chang to Koh Kood, operates until mid-May, and saves a lot of time without having to return to the mainland.

 

However, 30 people are jammed into the boat like sardines and you don't want to be last to board or you'll be stuck in the front without a canopy for protection to fry in the hot sun.  This is a disaster waiting to happen because there are no life preservers (except for the two visible on the exterior of the boat).  "Do you have life preservers?", a woman asked.  "Yes, we have life preservers", the boat operator replied, and then he laughed.

 

 

Thanks for that post. Have been thinking about Koh Mak/Kood, but I am wary of all things sea related in SEA.

Have been fine w ferries to Koh Chang/Samui, and was planning perhaps the transfer from Chang to Kood, but your description of it being (likely) overloaded and crammed makes me think again.

 

[camble]

4 hours ago, kuma said:

Thanks for that post. Have been thinking about Koh Mak/Kood, but I am wary of all things sea related in SEA.

Have been fine w ferries to Koh Chang/Samui, and was planning perhaps the transfer from Chang to Kood, but your description of it being (likely) overloaded and crammed makes me think again.

 

I wouldn't recommend this method of transport unless you're a good swimmer, but you can always return to the mainland when transferring between islands and take the catamaran service to Koh Kood.  It will take about 6 hours instead of 2.  There may only be speed boat transport to Koh Mak, however, but Koh Mak is worth a pass IMHO.

[camble]

Here are some photos from my seventh visit to Koh Kood, in late October 2018.

 

Took the speed boat from Koh Chang, still no life jackets.

 

 

Since other passengers were staying at the same resort, we were let off at Ban Makok, just a 5 minute walk, no need to wait for a taxi.  Started to rain as we approached the island.

 

 

There are new resorts and restaurants opening all the time, my last visit was 6 months.

 

 

I went to Noochy for fresh crab, it's about 30 minutes by motorbike.

 

 

Ao Yai is in desperate need for some urban renewal

 

 

Third day was beautiful!

 

 

The public beach was as crowded as usual

 

 

There's a new football stadium, with lighting for night games.

 

 

The Away Dream, at the Castaways Bar.  Vodka, Malibu, Banana Liqueur, pineapple juice, and coconut milk.

 

 

Irish Coffee at the Deck Bar at the Koh Kood Resort

 

 

The Irish Coffee was not that good, so I followed up with a Strawberry Daiquri

 

 

Mango Mojito at the Sunset Bar

 

 

When you visit Phuket, Samui, etc, you'll hear people say, "Oh, you should have been here 20-30 years ago.  It was paradise."  That's where Koh Kood is at today.

 

[Golden Triangle]

I have to agree with your last statement, the place was idyllic when we were there nearly 2 years ago, unfortunately it will go the same way as the rest of the country unless someone takes hold of the reins and stops too much development, unfortunately (and I use that word far too often) it ain't gonna happen because greed is king in Thailand, I'm glad that we found it when we did and maybe if I'm still able in 3 or 4 years I would like to go back and see just how much they have managed to screw it up. ????

[camble]

13 hours ago, Golden Triangle said:

I have to agree with your last statement, the place was idyllic when we were there nearly 2 years ago, unfortunately it will go the same way as the rest of the country unless someone takes hold of the reins and stops too much development, unfortunately (and I use that word far too often) it ain't gonna happen because greed is king in Thailand, I'm glad that we found it when we did and maybe if I'm still able in 3 or 4 years I would like to go back and see just how much they have managed to screw it up. ????

 

The island is very clean and there's a PR campaign to keep it that way but the local wildlife refuses to cooperate

 

 

[camble]

On the north side of the island is Soneva Kiri, the most luxurious resort in Thailand.  Low season rates start around 30,000 per night and includes zip line tea and all the ice cream and chocolate you can eat!  Here’s a review

 

 

[elektrified]

53 minutes ago, camble said:

On the north side of the island is Soneva Kiri, the most luxurious resort in Thailand.  Low season rates start around 30,000 per night and includes zip line tea and all the ice cream and chocolate you can eat!  Here’s a review

 

 

A Thai fiend stayed there last year. The photos were amazing. I doubt I'll make it, however.

[overc]

hello, can you confirm that during rainy season, september, october, it is still possible to take a boat to KohKood from Laemngop or from Koh Chang.

Koh chang is really a dump, so I would prefer to avoid it.

 

[kuma]

On 11/2/2018 at 9:28 AM, camble said:

 

The island is very clean and there's a PR campaign to keep it that way but the local wildlife refuses to cooperate

 

 

Cambie

 

Great informative posts.

We just back from Koh Kood. Great break, nice island. I am never one for cocktails but your posts got the best of me and I had more than one while we were there, lol.

Interior nice as well, easy to get some hiking in the am, then beach it later.

Live in this area now, so will mak Ed this a more frequent stop.

 

[overc]

34 minutes ago, kuma said:

Cambie

 

Great informative posts.

We just back from Koh Kood. Great break, nice island. I am never one for cocktails but your posts got the best of me and I had more than one while we were there, lol.

Interior nice as well, easy to get some hiking in the am, then beach it later.

Live in this area now, so will mak Ed this a more frequent stop.

 

 

hello, did you take the boat from LAEM NGOP ?

and can I know at which resort your stayed ?

Thanks.

 

 

 

[camble]

18 hours ago, overc said:

hello, can you confirm that during rainy season, september, october, it is still possible to take a boat to KohKood from Laemngop or from Koh Chang.

Koh chang is really a dump, so I would prefer to avoid it.

 

You can take a catamaran from Laem Sok year-round.  The Bang Bao boat from Koh Chang is only available during high season, beginning mid-October.  Koh Chang is a dump only if you stay at a dumpy resort. See my Koh Chang trip report:

 

 

https://kohkoodferries.com/boonsiri-ferry-catamaran-fantasea/

[lust]

The more you share this, the more people will be there to fill your beaches and jack the prices up. Good job

[camble]

4 minutes ago, lust said:

The more you share this, the more people will be there to fill your beaches and jack the prices up. Good job

They’re not MY beaches, but Thanks!  I’ll keep updating this thread.

[kuma]

5 minutes ago, lust said:

The more you share this, the more people will be there to fill your beaches and jack the prices up. Good job

Go home

[overc]

4 hours ago, camble said:

You can take a catamaran from Laem Sok year-round.  The Bang Bao boat from Koh Chang is only available during high season, beginning mid-October.  Koh Chang is a dump only if you stay at a dumpy resort. See my Koh Chang trip report:

 

 

https://kohkoodferries.com/boonsiri-ferry-catamaran-fantasea/

 

 

All beaches are a dump on KC, I visited all, so I guess that I know what I am talking about.

All have trash sandbags and other trash in front of resorts.

Of course if you stay at the pool of your 5 stars you do not see how crap are KC beaches.

Of course KKOOD is different and the only islands with acceptable beaches in the area.

But maybe who doesn't know southern beaches has no idea about what is a nice beach ?!

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Jip99]

15 minutes ago, overc said:

 

 

All beaches are a dump on KC, I visited all, so I guess that I know what I am talking about.

All have trash sandbags and other trash in front of resorts.

Of course if you stay at the pool of your 5 stars you do not see how crap are KC beaches.

Of course KKOOD is different and the only islands with acceptable beaches in the area.

But maybe who doesn't know southern beaches has no idea about what is a nice beach ?!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

White Sands Beach wasn’t a dump when I was there.